Shortly after sunrise on the last Saturday in January, February and March — the peak of the annual season in which humpback whales travel here from Alaska and other northern areas — volunteers on three islands grab binoculars and head to shoreline survey sites.

When the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary’s Ocean Count started in the mid-1990s, the citizen science project drew about 150 volunteers. It now attracts upwards of 1,000, said Cindy Among-Serrao, who serves as Ocean Count coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

During February’s count, 135 whale sightings were recorded from 10 to 10:15 a.m., the most of any 15-minute counting period. In January, 172 whales were seen during the top tally. On average, an adult humpback surfaces to breathe every 10 to 15 minutes, but can remain submerged for as long as 45 minutes. Calves must rise to the surface every three to five minutes.

Now in her third season as the project’s head, Among-Serrao thoroughly enjoys watching volunteers as they watch the 45-ton wonders. “Especially when the whales put on a show with multiple breaches and other surface behaviors,” she said. “The volunteers get so excited!” She added, “I also enjoy the fact that this project is a great way to increase public awareness about humpbacks” and related environmental concerns — as well as a fun event for collecting data that can supplement scientific research.

The sanctuary is likely a go-to site for humpbacks because of warm waters, underwater visibility, variety of ocean depths, and the lack of natural predators. Created by Congress in 1992 to protect humpbacks and their habitat, it lies within shallow waters (less than 600 feet) surrounding portions of the main Hawaiian Islands. Various regulations help keep the waters tranquil. Among them: vessels must keep a distance of at least 100 yards from a whale, and air craft must stay 1,000 feet above the sanctuary.

Raised in Hawaii, primarily on Oahu, Among-Serrao said her passion for the ocean started at a young age. “I still love being out in the ocean whether it be surfing, SCUBA diving, snorkeling or swimming,” she said. A desire to help protect our archipelago waters prompted her to earn a bachelor’s degree in marine science from University of Hawaii at Hilo, and set her sights on a career path focused on marine conservation efforts.

Question: How many volunteers are you getting this season?

Answer: There were more than 1,200 volunteers just from the January and February counts, which are open to anyone. … There are still spots available to volunteer at multiple sites across the three islands for the March count. (Information is online, hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov or sanctuaryoceancount.org.)

Q: What does volunteer training consist of?

A: At Oahu and Hawaii island sites, a quick orientation is given the morning of the count — thanks to our dedicated site leader volunteers. On the other hand, nearly all Kauai sites require volunteers to attend a training session conducted by a program specialist prior to the count day. (In addition to counting, volunteers note dives, blows and communicative signals such as tail slaps, pec slaps and head slaps.)

The official Ocean Count start time is 8 a.m. but it’s suggested that volunteers arrive at least a half-hour early for each four-hour session. … There are three data sheets that are filled out on the count days. The primary one … is the behavior data sheet. Volunteers work in pairs as they document and tally whale sightings and their surface behaviors.

Q: Is there a trick for distinguishing one whale from another?

A:While researchers in boats are able to identify an individual whale by its fluke or tail as the underside is uniquely pigmented, (land-based) Ocean Count volunteers use general clues, such as number of whales in a group, group composition and direction of travel. Our site leaders are all experienced whale-watchers, and they assist volunteers in filling out the data sheets.

Q: How many count sites in all?

A: There are over 60 designated Ocean Count sites, but not all are utilized each year. … The number of whale sightings varies among sites — and has a lot to do with the viewing conditions for that day as well as the distribution of the whales. Usually, sites with higher elevations, right along the coastlines, have a sighting advantage.

A similar effort on Maui (the annual Great Whale Count) is conducted independently by the nonprofit Pacific Whale Foundation.

Q: So, the count has produced more than 20 annual census snapshots?

A: The value of Ocean Count is derived from the longevity of the project, and the simultaneous monitoring at … sites across three islands. The ways in which the data is analyzed (to track population and migration trends, for example) is expanding.

Also, projects like the sanctuary’s Ocean Count are important because they serve as a great opportunity for our volunteers, both local and abroad (visitors), to learn more about humpback whales. And that motivates them to do their part in protecting the species and the natural resources that surround the whales.

Q: Humpbacks landed on the federal endangered species list — and secured protections under the Marine Mammal Protection Act — in the early 1970s. Why were those protections needed?

A: Humpback whales and other large whales were once abundant in all oceans worldwide but populations were depleted due to the commercial whaling industry of the mid-1800s, and that continued through the mid-20th century. While Hawaii’s populations have increased (under protections) … it is helpful to keep in mind that not all of the planet’s humpback whale subpopulations have done so.

Q: In 2016, nine out of 14 humpback populations around the globe (including Hawaii’s winter visitors) were removed from the endangered species list. The move came on the heels of reports that fewer humpbacks were spotted in our waters that year. Any lingering concerns tied to that?

A:Although humpback whales have been removed from the endangered species list they continue to be protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, state wildlife laws, and Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary regulations.

Q: How large is our current seasonal population, and what sorts of threats does it contend with?

A: The North Pacific humpback whale population is estimated at more than 20,000, with approximately 12,000 individuals migrating annually to Hawaii waters (with some arriving as early as September).

Although the North Pacific population has increased over the past decade, there is still a need to monitor the population as threats still exist. One primary threat … is entanglement in lines and nets. It can result in starvation or drowning due to restricted movement, physical trauma with possible infections, and contribute to ship strikes, which is another major anthropogenic threat.

Habitat loss and climate change are also threats that have the potential to impact at the population level.

Q: NOAA’s 1,366-square-mile sanctuary management zone edges portions of the main Hawaiian Islands. Why are those portions singled out?

A: Much of the shallow waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands are essential breeding, calving and nursing areas for a majority of the humpback whales. … While choosing boundaries for the sanctuary, many factors were taken into consideration, such as an area’s size, resources, management ability and the human uses within the region.

Q: The sanctuary provides a safe haven for humpbacks through about a half-dozen regulations. How are they enforced?

A: Through coordinated efforts with NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement, the U.S. Coast Guard, state of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Conservation and Resource Enforcement (DOCARE), and the NOAA Office of General Counsel.

Q: A few years ago, NOAA proposed expanding the sanctuary’s scope to cover the ecosystem instead of a single species. The proposal also extended its geographic boundary. However, the agency withdrew its bid after listening to input from the community and the state of Hawaii. Any plans in the works now to alter the sanctuary in any way?

A: There are no proposals to change or expand the sanctuary.